Chapter 93:The Heavenly demon

The moment the news spread that Lucifer had returned from the Forbidden Land, the entire cult erupted into celebration.

Yet another impossible victory.

Yet another legend.

Yet another miracle accomplished by the Devil.

Unfortunately...

The women who cared about him weren't celebrating.

They were running.

Ock's robes fluttered behind her as she sprinted through the palace corridors.

"Move!"

Sue wasn't far behind.

"Hurry!"

Yu Ming, Elizabeth, Tsuru, Zhong Yu, and Lei Xin followed closely.

The messenger's words still echoed in their ears.

"Lord Lucifer has returned... but his injuries are severe."

Their hearts tightened.

Lucifer...

Injured?

That alone was enough to terrify them.

Who could possibly wound someone who had defeated Chunma himself?

Without slowing down, they kicked open the doors to Lucifer's residence.

Bang!

"Oy, Lucifer!"

Ock's voice was filled with worry.

"Are you—"

She froze.

Everyone froze.

Silence swallowed the room.

Lying lazily on the bed...

...was Lucifer.

Bandages wrapped around almost every part of his body.

His chest was covered in fresh wounds.

But that wasn't what stunned them.

Sitting comfortably on top of him...

...was an unfamiliar woman.

Elegant.

Regal.

Beautiful enough to eclipse the moon itself.

She sat on Lucifer's waist as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Yu Ming's eye twitched.

Sue's smile completely disappeared.

Elizabeth slowly cracked her knuckles.

Tsuru quietly stepped backward.

"...Someone is about to die."

Lucifer blinked.

"Oh."

"Hi, girls."

"How've you all been?"

Silence.

Sue smiled.

It was the kind of smile that made seasoned warriors pray for mercy.

"...Is now really the time to greet us?"

Yu Ming folded her arms.

"I think explanations come before greetings."

Elizabeth pointed straight at the woman.

"Who."

"Is."

"She?"

Lucifer looked genuinely confused.

"What?"

"What did I do now?"

Six murderous gazes answered him.

Lucifer sighed.

"...Women are scary."

He casually pointed beside him.

"This is Daxia."

"The ancient Empress."

"...Or whatever title she likes."

Daxia casually waved.

"Hello."

No one waved back.

Zhong Yu frowned.

"Then why are you sitting on him?"

Lucifer immediately looked upward.

"Actually..."

"I wanted to ask the same thing."

He poked Daxia's arm.

"Why exactly are you sitting on me?"

Daxia answered as though stating an obvious fact.

"I want to marry you."

...

Silence.

Then—

"WHAT?!"

The entire room shook.

Lei Xin nearly dropped his spear.

"Did... did I hear that correctly?"

Tsuru rubbed her forehead.

"Another one?"

Elizabeth stared blankly.

"...I shouldn't even be surprised anymore."

Yu Ming pointed at Lucifer.

"You beast."

Sue sighed deeply.

"I knew it."

Lucifer raised both hands.

"Hold on."

"I didn't even propose!"

Daxia crossed her legs elegantly.

"I never married."

"I spent my entire life fighting Chunma."

"My empire collapsed."

"My people vanished."

"My lineage ended."

She looked directly into Lucifer's crimson eyes.

"Now that Chunma is dead..."

"I suppose I should start a family."

She smiled.

"And among every man alive..."

"You're the only interesting one."

Lucifer scratched his cheek.

"...That's flattering."

"...But terrifying."

Ock spoke gently.

"There are countless men in Murim."

"Why him?"

Daxia looked at her as though she'd asked something ridiculous.

"There are countless stars."

"But only one sun."

"The same applies to Lucifer."

Then she added casually,

"And besides..."

"The Murim Alliance already tried to kill me."

"I'm certainly not returning there."

Elizabeth muttered,

"...Fair point."

Lucifer quickly changed the topic.

"Forget marriage."

"I have a question."

He looked at Daxia seriously.

"You and Chunma were both in the God Realm."

"The pinnacle of martial arts."

"So why were you only at the Supreme Peak when we fought?"

Daxia's expression became complicated.

"It was because of the Sun Crystal."

Sue nodded.

"The crystal forged by your father."

"The one containing pure Yang."

"And Chunma possessed the Moon Crystal."

"Pure Yin."

Daxia smiled.

"You know your history."

Sue shrugged proudly.

"I actually read books unlike someone."

She glanced at Lucifer.

Lucifer ignored the jab.

"The crystals," Daxia continued, "weren't weapons."

"They were cultivation treasures."

"They accelerated our cultivation beyond imagination."

"But during our final battle..."

"We used them as weapons."

"The moment the Sun and Moon collided..."

"Our cultivation was permanently damaged."

"The explosion froze time itself."

"Perhaps..."

She looked toward the sky.

"...it was Heaven punishing us for trying to wield power beyond mortals."

Silence filled the room.

Lucifer suddenly spoke.

"That still doesn't explain the temple."

"It existed long before your empire."

"Do you know what it really was?"

Daxia slowly shook her head.

"No."

"Even during the Ancient Empire..."

"...that temple was already considered older than history."

Chirin floated beside Lucifer.

"So you simply stumbled upon it?"

Daxia smiled faintly.

"No."

"When cultivators reach the God Realm..."

"The world has very few secrets left."

"We discovered that place together."

She looked down.

"We were tired."

"So very tired."

"Thousands of years."

"Countless wars."

"No victor."

"No end."

"So we agreed..."

"...to fight one final battle."

Lucifer nodded.

"Because if two God Realm experts fought outside..."

"...the world would've been destroyed."

"Exactly."

Tsuru looked thoughtful.

"So all the answers died with that temple."

Chirin sighed.

"They certainly did."

"Lucifer completely destroyed it fighting Chunma."

Zhong Yu suddenly blinked.

"Wait."

"If the temple survived two Gods fighting..."

"...how did Lucifer destroy it?"

Lucifer shrugged.

"The inside was extraordinary."

"The outside..."

"Not so much."

"The Vermilion Bird's warships had already shattered its foundation."

"So by the time I fought..."

"...it couldn't withstand another battle."

Everyone exchanged looks.

"...Still absurd."

Daxia then looked toward Lucifer.

"What was that power you used?"

"The authority over the seven sins."

Lucifer smiled.

"My strongest skill."

"Supreme Authority."

"The Seven Deadly Sins."

"But..."

"It's only Stage One."

Daxia stared.

"You defeated Chunma..."

"...with an incomplete Divine Skill?"

Lucifer nodded.

"For exactly five minutes."

"And after that..."

"My body was more broken than Chunma's."

He stretched his shoulders.

"It nearly killed me."

"It's basically a suicidal technique."

Daxia couldn't help laughing.

"You really are insane."

Ock smiled.

"We've gotten used to it."

Sue nodded.

"Eventually..."

"So will you."

For the first time...

The room echoed with genuine laughter.

Even Elizabeth smiled.

For a brief moment...

War seemed very far away.

Knock.

Knock.

A disciple entered and knelt.

"Lord Lucifer."

"The Heavenly Demon requests your presence."

Lucifer sighed dramatically.

"That old man really knows how to ruin peaceful moments."

He stood lazily.

"I'll be back."

Surprisingly...

He wasn't brought to the Demonic Palace.

Instead...

He arrived at a quiet courtyard.

Moonlight illuminated the stone paths.

A massive black dragon rested peacefully beside a lake.

Its golden eyes slowly opened.

Lucifer whistled.

"...Nice dragon."

The dragon immediately growled.

Rumble.

The entire courtyard shook.

The Heavenly Demon gently stroked its scales.

"Easy."

"It bites."

Lucifer smirked.

"I figured."

"So."

"What brings me here?"

The Heavenly Demon smiled.

"I thought we'd take a walk."

"Or rather..."

"A flight."

Moments later...

The dragon soared into the night sky.

Clouds drifted beneath them.

The moon reflected across endless rivers.

For several minutes...

Neither spoke.

Finally—

The Heavenly Demon chuckled.

"You really dislike spending time with another man."

Lucifer looked bored.

"I'd rather be sleeping on a beautiful woman's lap."

The Heavenly Demon laughed loudly.

"Fair enough."

"I'm interrupting your night."

His smile gradually disappeared.

"I wanted..."

"...to ask about the Sword Demon."

Lucifer's expression softened.

"He died."

Silence.

"I killed him."

The Heavenly Demon quietly closed his eyes.

"...You truly don't know how to comfort someone."

Lucifer answered honestly.

"Does someone like you need comfort?"

The Heavenly Demon stared into the stars.

"...Strange."

"I've forgotten my own name."

Lucifer frowned.

"You... forgot?"

"When one becomes the Heavenly Demon..."

"...he abandons everything."

"Family."

"Love."

"Fear."

"Even..."

"...his own name."

Lucifer remained silent.

The Heavenly Demon smiled sadly.

"Only one person still remembered it."

"The Sword Demon."

He took a slow breath.

"My name was..."

He whispered it.

Only Lucifer heard.

Lucifer's eyes widened.

"You..."

"Why are you telling me—"

SHHK!!

A blade pierced straight through his chest.

Everything stopped.

Warm blood flowed down the sword.

Lucifer slowly lowered his head.

The blade had entered through his back...

...and emerged from his chest.

His breathing stopped.

His mind went blank.

Then...

He looked behind him.

His crimson eyes trembled.

"...Why?"

Holding the sword...

...was the Heavenly Demon.

His face showed neither anger...

...nor hatred.

Only cold resolve.

He slowly pulled the blade free.

Blood sprayed into the night sky.

"I told you."

"I abandoned everything."

"My name."

"My heart."

"My humanity."

"And now..."

"...there can only be one person left who remembers that name."

Lucifer coughed violently.

Blood stained his lips.

"So..."

"...you planned this..."

The Heavenly Demon closed his eyes.

"You've grown too much."

"No one can stop you anymore."

"Except me."

"And now..."

"...your role has ended."

He grabbed Lucifer by the shoulder.

"Farewell..."

"...my friend."

He threw him from the dragon.

Lucifer fell.

Down.

Down.

Down.

The moon became smaller.

The dragon became a shadow.

Then—

SPLASH!!

The river swallowed him whole.

His body sank endlessly toward the darkness below.

Above the surface...

The Heavenly Demon watched without expression.

"Rest peacefully."

"Now..."

"...no one remains who knows my true name."

The dragon slowly turned back toward the Demonic Cult.

Leaving behind...

Only silence.

Deep beneath the freezing water...

Lucifer's consciousness faded.

His heartbeat slowed.

Darkness consumed everything.

Then—

A crimson window burst before his eyes.

WARNING

CRITICAL CONDITION DETECTED

HEALTH RAPIDLY DECREASING

FATAL INTERNAL DAMAGE

LIFE FUNCTIONS FAILING

DANGER

DANGER

DANGER

Lucifer could no longer move.

The river carried him toward the endless sea.

His vision darkened.

His heartbeat...

...grew weaker.

And weaker.

Until even the system's warning began to fade into silence.